Wizards And United To Compete In Champions Cup Some South Carolina TV station is reporting this. Evidently, "Pumas UNAM" is the only other team qualified at this time. Thx, Jay!
Here is the info from CONCACAF. http://www.concacaf.com/view_section.asp?id=1 3 teams in 1 from this Mexican League season 3 CA teams decided next week Caribbean team decided 12/15 All series appear to be scheduled for 2 legs so why wouldn't we get a home game? The bottom of this page has the dates for the games http://www.concacaf.com/view_article.asp?id=2813 3/9 or 3/16 we should have a game at home.
The station is here in Charelston and a friend of mine, who is a big time soccer fan is an weatherman for the station but I know he isn't invovled in the news side other than weather realted things. I didn't see the report but all the stations here cover the Charleston Battery pretty well, and with as many times as DC has played here Im not too surprised they picked up the story. Wish I would have seen it. Mikey
Too bad our championship team is already being dismantled. I wonder what the lineup will look like come March. TS.
Dismantled? We lost Nellie but I think we can bring back Petke and Gomez. I wouldn't really consider that to be a Florida Marlins-esque dismantling.
With all the baseball crap coming down the pike, scheduling is going to be tight. I think friendlies, exhibitions and tournaments like the CCC are going to be difficult to fit in if not scheduled way in advance. I might be wrong, but I think it's another instance of us taking it in the rear. This the question I tried to get to KP on the chat the other day but missed out.
We'll get it. it just probably won't be scheduled at RFK. We might end up at that field out in maryland (soccerplex).
I think what Chico meant was that DC United would probably not have the "RFK home advantage". I hope DC United plays the game at RFK, but like Chico says I really doubt that will happen. The soccerplex is a nice place (I have been there for the US Open Cup games) but it is harder for people to get out there, especially during the week when in all likelihood this game would be played. Most importantly it would be very hard to get "prepared" as they do not allow tailgating. But I will be there and so will a lot of the hard-core fans!
While I'm glad that we're going, too, it's too bad we can't use veterans like Stewart and Nelson, and have an option like EZ on the bench. Also, we won't exactly be in form by march. Hopefully, DC will play well. If the game is anywhere around here, I'll be there.
Not only that Jose but the last time we played there was great attendance. There were lots of Saprissa and Leon fans along with all the DC fans. I think the capacity at the soccerplex max's out at around 4800 or so. It just blows that we can't host this properly like in the past.
It seats 3200. SoccerPlex I think the parking lot side has a big concrete area just behind the last row of seats. Maybe they could put some extra bleechers up there to get a few more people, if enough tickets get sold. Also, the bowl end is just grass and could easily accomodate hundreds of people who are willing to sit on the hill should it come to that. I wonder what the attendence was the last time we were in this thing? My guess is that it probably will be at the SoccerPlex. That is great for me, but I wish we had more interest in it.
Ok, i do understand the concerns and actually share them. On the flip side, the baseball season doesn't start until a couple of games after the MLS season. However, the CCC begins in mid-March. Isn't it quite probable that we at least get to play the first game at home (either March 9 or 16) in RFK?
Let me go a step further. We should feel pretty good about our chances of being able to have our games at RFK. Let's look at the tentative Washington Nationals Schedule: http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/was/schedule/tentative_2005_season_schedule.jsp As you can see from the link, again, baseball doesn't start until April, so the first home game at RFK in March shouldn't be too big of a problem. If we were to advance past that, the next round of games is April 6 and 13. http://www.concacaf.com/view_article.asp?id=2804 If we get the game on the 6th at RFK, the Nationals are out of town for the whole week. However, the home game on the 13th would be a problem, because the Nationals are at home vs. Arizona the very next day. Moving on to the finals, the games would be May 4 and May 11. Another look at the Nationals schedule shows that the week of May 4, the Nationals are on the road for the entire week. The week of May 11, the Nationals do come home, but the day AFTER the CCC finals game, May 12, is an off-day for the Nationals and they don't actually play their home game until May 13, against the Chicago Cubs. In summation, I don't know how the CCC drawings work and how they determine who gets the first and/or last home game, but if the CCC works with us, we could get the first home game for the 2nd round and the final round (if we were fortunate enough to make it that far), and we would be able to conduct business as usual. THAT WOULD BE AWESOME!!!!!
I know it's quite a drive but what about Navy/Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis. It was just recently renovated and would make an awesome soccer venue. Not to mention that Annapolis is a great drinking town. TS.
I truly don't think it should be a problem as I stated above, unless Concacaf decides to purposely screw us on the scheduling.
Nobody really knows. In the past the 'smaller' teams usually got stuck hosting the first leg. Hopefully they will clarify that this year...
I wonder if seating capacity will be a problem -- seems like a CONCACAF match would easily sellout the Boyds Soccerplex. The only positive to hosting a match at the soccerplex comes from the intimacy of the bowl-like seating arrangement at stadium. I have to admit that it's really fun to watch a game while you're so close to the playing field -- I went to the two U.S. Open Cup matches played at the soccerplex in 2003 and had a great time each match. So, I really wouldn't knock the idea of hosting a CONCACAF match at Boyds per se. While Boyds obviously not nearly as prestigious a venue as RFK for an event of this caliber, it would be cool to see a prestigious international match at close quarters. That is, if there are enough tickets to go around.
Harbour View versus Tivoli Gardens for the Caribbean slot. The three Central American slots being decided between Olimpia, Saprissa, Municipal and F.A.S. Apertura leader is Veracruz, with Toluca, Pachuca and Atlas next in points.